The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1887-02-24
JUDGE KELLEY ON THE SOUTH.
The Great Progress Made in That Sec
ton of the Country Since 1875.

II UXcdL EOsTcSS Nduc III luat ScCe
ton of the Country Since 1875.
Judge W. D. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, who
has returned to Washington after q six week
tour through the south, unbosomed himself as
follows to a NeD York World correspondent:
Il made my fist journey through the south
in 1867 and went again In 1875, visiting the
same places / have just come from, and no one
could have convinced me that the people of
that section had made such strides as they
have. ] could scarcely convince myself that
the places / visited were the same that l saw
on my former journeys. They are enjoying
down there not only progress but prosperity
greater than is enjoyed in the north, and it is
question of labor. The old planters are be-
ginning to recognize not only the dignity but
| the value of labor"
SIS their moral and social progress as well!"
asked the correspondent.
Eyes, the progress in that direction is equal
ly marked. The people are living in a better
class of houses and beginning to show taste in
art adornments and are introducing the COM
forts of life that were unknown to the middle
and lower classes a few years ago. The resi-
dences of the people are more neatly kept, the
e%xteriors are painted in taste and the interiors
of those l entered were comfortably furnished
| with signs of refinement. The educational
privileges of the colored people are now better
than those the whites enjoyed when l last WIS.,
tied the south and those of the whites are
greatly improved. The class distinctions which
were the curse of that section exist no longer,
or only to a limited extent, and the social po-
sition of a citizen is no longer reckoned by
what his father was, but by his own conduct
and ability. 1t is no longer degrading to work,
but the producers are more respected than the
oilers.
"The towns 1 visited" continued the judge,
''are under prohibitory enactments, and the
moral condition of the people is much improv-
a1 fharahy Tho mOpav that wac fOrmarlv
wasted in drink is now employed to promote
the welfare of those who earn it, and the re-
suit is greater comforts, better health, and an
increased power of production. The negroes
are industrious and thrifty as a class, and the
man who earns a dollar in a mine or a manu-
factory has purchasing power in those little
towns equal to five times that Of the planter
who is dependent upon the yield and the
prices of cotton. The rate of wage paid work.
ingmen is about that which is paid in Pennsyl-
yania for the same class of laborers and the
same kind of employment, and the negroes
are proving themselves admirably adapted to
mechanical industries. "They love the heat
of the mills and sing at their work. They save
their wages or spend them wisely, and as
their employers are beginning to see that the
prosperity of the country depends upon the
colorei people as laborers they are no longer
treated like beasts. went into their houses
and their schools, sometimes by invitation and
sometimes incognito. / told them simply that
| was a northern man and was interested in
seeing how they were getting on, and / can
not express with too great emphasis the i'm
preston made upon my mind by what | saw
and the value of the Information | acquired.
''The people of the south are making more
money than we. They can produce rough iron
much more cheaply, because the materials are
IN such close juxtaposition. L stood on coal
beds which had iron mines on each side of me-,
not more than two miles away, and limestone
living between In Pennsylvania / can assert
on good authority that it costs 81 to get the
materials together before the manufacture of
the iron commences. In the south. or in
those parts of it l visited, it does not cost
more than 81 Then, again, land is so much
cheaper.
SIN Pennsylvania land costs from 800 to
500 an acre, while in the south land can be
purchased for 81 or 81 25 that is equally as
good tor the purpose"
Where does the capital come fromf"
'Most of it originally came from the north,
but now local capital is becoming interested
and the profits of the business are immediate
ly reinvested."
"Wil the south compete with the northern
states in the manufacture OF ironf"
'Yes, and ouirun US. They are not making
anything but low-grade iron now, but sell all
they can make at the same prices we get for q
similar quality. They do not make enough to
supply the demand, so there is no bidding
against us, but the time will come when their
facilities for cheap production will be felt by
the producers Of my " and other northern
states"